Grain-drying apparatus.



H. J. PUCKEfI'T & V. LUCAS.

GRAIN DRYING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 21, 1912.

Patented Sept.24,1912.

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H. J. PUCKETT & V. LUCAS.

GRAIN DRYING APPARATUS.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 21, 1012.

" 1,039,440, Patented Sept. 24, 1912.

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HT J'G-H J. PUCKETT AND VALENTINE LUCAS, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

GRAIN-DRYING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept..24, 1912.

Application filed June 21, 1912. Serial No. 705,122.

To all wit-0m it may concern:

Be it known that We, HUGH J PUoKnTT and VALENTINE LUCAS, citizens of theUnited States, residing at Kansas City, in the county of Jackson andState of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inGrain-Drying Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to grain drying apparatus, and has for its objectto produce an apparatus of this character which will perform itsfunction efiiciently and reliably and which is of comparative simple,durable and inexpensive construction.

To this end the invention consists in certain novel and peculiarfeatures of construction and organization as hereinafter described andclaimed; and in order that it may be fully understood reference is to behad to the accompanying drawing, in which:-

Figure 1, is a View partly in central vertical section and partly inelevation, of the grain drying chute and the blower of apparatusembodying the invention. Fig. 2, is a vertical section taken through thegrain chute on the line IIII of Fig. 1, and also shows a hot air chamberof the apparatus, communicating with said chute. Fig. 3, is a viewpartly in section and partly in elevation of an appliance for heatingthe air discharged by the blower into the hot air chamber. Fig. 4, is asection on the line IVIV of Fig. 3.

In the said drawings 1 is a rectangular chute constructed preferably ofsheet metal, and provided internally with a staggered series of V-shapedpartitions 2, the apices of which extend horizontally, and thepartitions are of such proportion that they overlap and thus conjointlyprovide or forma tortuous channel 3. Each side wall of the chute,between adjacent partitions, is provided with an opening 4,communicating at its lower end with each opening is a short air stack 5,the inner sides of the same being formed by the adjacent side wall ofthe stack, the outer sides by extensions 6 of the underlying sections ofsaid walls, which extensions form in effect a continuation of the upperportion of the adjacent partition, and the ends by portions 7 connectingthe ends of the extensions with said walls, and the openings 4 arebridged by one or more bars 8, to brace and stiffen the side walls ofthe chute adjacent said openings. Controlling the exit of air throughsaid air stacks are valves or doors 9, hinged at 10 to the side walls,and pivotally connected together by rods 11, whereby all of the valvesor doors at one side of the chute may be simultaneously operated.

The partitions are perforated asshown at 12, and their lower portionsare cut away to provide exit openings 13, for grain which may pass fromthe tortuous passage into the spaces inclosed by the partitions, inorder that all of the grain entering the chute shall pass through thesame without interruption.

One end 'wall of the chute is provided with a staggered series ofopenings 14 corresponding in area to and registering with to pipe 19, anordinary boiler furnace 21 is utilized, 22 indicating the combustionchamber and 23 the boiler, our preferred construction being to secure aseries of air tubes 24 in the combustion chamber at the rear end of theboiler, one end of each tube communicating with the atmosphere and theother end with a chamber 25 from which pipe 19 leads.

When the use of the furnace is not desired for heating air, thereceiving ends of the tubes 24 are closed as by a cap 26, (shown bydotted lines) and a door 27 may be utilized to close the outer end ofchamber 25, or the same may be closed by the damper 20, if pipe 19 isnot withdrawn from said chamber.

In operation, the hot air and flames come into contact with tubes 24before passing throu hthe boiler of the furnace, and that the air is(iawn by the blower into chamber 25 and thence passes through the ipe19, the blower casing, and pipe 16 into tl e hot air chamber 15, andfrom the latter passes through the openings 14 and through theperforated partitions into a mass or stream of grain descending throughthe tortuous channel. By this arrangement the grain will be thoroughlydried and warmed, and the air reduced in temperature by contact with thegrain, will escape through the stacks 5, it

being understood that such stacks are necessary as the grain will pileup therein to a limited extent, but will not back up into the samesufficiently to overflow them. During this operation of drying thegrain, the valves or doors will be opened more or less accordingly asthe grain is very damp and descending the chute of the tortuous passagein large volume, or is fairly dry and de'-' scending the tortuouspassage in a comparatively thin stream, the requisite adjustment of thevalves or doors being according to the experience of the person incontrol.

From the above description it will be apparent that we have produced agrain drying apparatus embodying the features of advantage enumerated asdesirable, and it'may be modified in minor particulars without departingfrom the principle of construction defined by the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In a grain drying apparatus, a chute, provided in opposite walls withopenings arranged in staggered relation and with upstanding stacksexterior to said walls and communicating at their lower ends with saidopenings, foraminous partitions of substantially \l-shape, secured toand projecting from the walls in opposite directions between theopenings of their respective walls and inclosed by the chute andarrangedin overlapping relation to form a tortuous channel, and means fordischarging heated air into the spaces inclosed by said partitions.

2. In a grain drying apparatus, a chute, provided in opposite walls withopenings arranged in staggered relation and with upstanding stacksexterior to said walls and communicating at their lower ends with saidopenings, foraminous partitions of substanl tially V-shape, secured toand projecting from the walls in opposite directions between theopenings of their respective walls and inclosed by the chute andarranged in overlapping relation to form a tortuous channel, means fordischarging heated air into the spaces inclosed by said partitions, andvalves or doors controlling the upper ends of the stacks.

3. In a grain drying apparatus, a chute, provided in opposite walls withopenings arranged in staggered relation and with upstanding stacksexterior to said walls and communicating at their lower ends with saidopenings, foraminous partitions of substantially V-shape, secured to andprojecting from the walls in opposite directions between the openings oftheir respective walls and inclosed by the chute and arranged inoverlapping relation to form a tortuous channel, means for dischargingheated air into the spaces inclosed by said partitions, valves or doorscontrolling the upper ends of the stacks, and means connectingvertically alined valves or doors for transmitting movement from one tothe other thereof.

4. In a grain drying apparatus, a chute, provided in opposite walls withopenings arranged in staggered relation and with upa pipe receiving theair heated by the heaterv and discharging it into the blower, and a pipefor conducting the air from the blower to the hot air chamber.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures, in the presence of twowitnesses.

I-IUGI-I J. PUOKETT. VALENTINE LUCAS. Witnesses: C. L. TIMMONS JOHN M.KELLEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). G. i

